We are very proud of the work our Benchmark Family Preservation team has done to strengthen families throughout Indiana. Read more below. #familyunification #familypreservation #healthyfamilies https://lnkd.in/gzJZE2zn.
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This report provides a national overview of kinship care policies. I can appreciate that there is a decline in foster placements and that there is policy advancement. However, as someone who is watching a loved one care for her five grandchildren without ANY financial support, I continue to be appalled by the lack of funding/payment for kinship providers. She is not alone. Had these children been taken into foster care, a stranger would have been paid a significant amount of money to care for them and the children would have been further traumatized. In many cases, there are kin who are willing to step in, but not all of them can afford it. There should also be NO asset tests for a family member who is willing to provide care. We must continue to advocate for reform for kinship placement maintenance payments. #kinship #family https://lnkd.in/g6FHu2_d
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Did you know that across the nation, more than 2.5 million children and young people live in arrangements known as kinship care, in which children who cannot be cared for by their parents are placed in the home of an extended family member or close family friend? These arrangements better allow children to stay connected to their communities, siblings, cultural traditions and social networks. However, state policies often make these arrangements challenging through implementing hard to achieve requirements that are unrelated to a child's safety. A recent Annie E. Casey Foundation report explores state policies that can help kinship caregivers navigate these challenges and obtain foster home licenses, including through provisional kinship care. MA is one of only 5 states that does not allow provisional kinship care. https://lnkd.in/esQkTc8j
Report-kinshiplicensing-2024.pdf
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I will always cherish family members who have chosen to care for their relatives as someone who was adopted through a kinship placement, moved back to my bio mom, and removed again to another kinship placement. I will never take away from the beautiful and tragic complexities of foster care and adoption, and I also want to highlight the uniquely beautiful and tragic complexities of kinship care. 💛 Knowing the biological parents of the kiddos welcomed into your home - being raised with them, raised by them, or raising them personally- is helpful and so difficult to navigate. 💜 Witnessing a family member become unable to care for their children, and the resulting trauma experienced by the children, is a heartbreaking and traumatic experience for those who step in to provide care. 💙 Whether or not reunification occurs, building and rebuilding new norms with family members is incredibly challenging. 💚 The amount of resources for kinship care situations is significantly less in most states than for foster families, and we've found that because most kinship caregivers don't think of themselves as foster parents, they don't know that they have access to resources that could benefit their family. Through the trauma, the secondary trauma, the celebrations, the sleepless nights, and shared experiences, I adore my grandparents, aunt, and uncle for saying "Yes!" to the relative who desperately needed support. This month, let's make an effort to reach out to kinship caregivers, offer them a hug, and assure them that they are not alone. If you have a kinship care story to share, I would love to hear it. #NationalKinshipCareMonth #KinshipCare #kinship #shareyourstory
September is National Kinship Care Month! Kinship Care is when a child is placed with a family member or fictive kin family member. This can look like children being placed with family members like aunts, uncles, older siblings, grandparents, cousins, or fictive kin members like teachers, coaches, a best friend's parent, or youth pastors! Kinship Care is often the preferred option, as it allows children to maintain family and cultural connections and can help alleviate fear when a move has to be made. When a kinship placement isn't an option, children are moved into a foster home. We see, honor, and cherish all of our kinship caregivers in this space. ❤️ #FosterTheFamily #KinshipCare #NationalKinshipCareMonth #Family
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At Alia, our mission is to equip and transform systems to create conditions for children and families to thrive. This article by Gary Ivory in Forbes highlights the concerning statistics surrounding child placement in the US foster care system, and the importance of kinship care as a less disruptive alternative. Kinship care (placing children with relatives or trusted family friends) can significantly reduce the trauma associated with removal. It's great to see likeminded changemakers like Gary advocating for this approach! We celebrate any time we see work being done to keep children safe with their families of origin as the top goal and exploring kinship care options as the first alternative when necessary. The best path forward is not reforming systems but instead, building UnSystems that put children and families first! #childwelfare #kinshipcare #fostercare #familiestogether
Council Post: How We Can Prevent Children From Entering The Traditional Foster Care System
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When children in foster care are placed with relatives or close family friends, the impact can be profound. Familiar surroundings offer them emotional stability, forming a stronger foundation for their future success. Kinship care ensures a child remains connected to their community and cultural roots, enhancing their overall sense of belonging and wellbeing. Caregivers—whether kinship or otherwise—play an essential role in nurturing and supporting children. But sustaining that care requires looking after your own wellbeing too. This #NationalKinshipCareMonth, we celebrate your dedication to child wellbeing and offer resources to help you prioritize your self-care: https://bit.ly/4gFDtUT #ChildWellbeing #KinshipCareMonth #KinshipCare
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Nurturing Your Holiday Spirit: Advice for Adoptees Foster & Kinship Care Alumni and Their Families The holiday season ushers in a time of joyous celebrations, cherished togetherness, and the embracing of time-honored traditions. However, for individuals who have negotiated the realms of adoption, foster care, or kinship care, this season can stir a complex tapestry of emotions— joy, excitement, and nostalgia but also an array of hard to identify feelings. With its focus on familial bonds and social gatherings, the holiday season can become a source of stress and anxiety, often tied to past traumas. In this blog, Lala-Marie Perez, LMSW, C.A.S.E. Adoption Competent Therapist, provides tips for managing the complexity of the holidays. Read here! https://conta.cc/4a5XvUZ #navigatingtheholidays #CASE #adoption #fostercare #kinshipcare
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Sometimes, people ask if I have a deep disdain for foster care and whether I ever deem it necessary. In response, I often draw a parallel to amputations. You see, amputating a limb, like a leg, can be a necessary and justifiable action when it's the only means to save a life. In such dire circumstances; it's a regrettable but indispensable choice. However, when we amputate that limb needlessly, when a simple bandage, medicine, or a wealth of other resources and tools could have been employed instead, it becomes a unjustifiable and possible medical malpractice. This analogy extends to how I perceive foster care and family separation. Family amputations should be the last resort, a measure taken only when there are no alternatives left to save a life or keep a child safe. Instead of needlessly separating families, we should strive to preserve and strengthen them, using every available resource and support system. If money can resolve the safety issues, then family separation is not the solution. Only then can we truly say we are acting in the best interests of our children and families. In essence, my opinion on foster care and family separation is rooted in a desire to eliminate unnecessary evils and champion what children want… their family happy, healthy, and whole. #familywellbeing #fostercare #childwelfare #poverty
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Ally to all seeking equity & justice. Advocate for youth & families with a focus on foster, kinship, fictive kin & hidden foster care. Proponent for all animals & the planet. Fierce human rights champion.
Prevention and family preservation should be the priority. If abuse is occurring and a child needs to be removed, kinship or fictive kin care is definitely the best option. But we must provide support and services to kinship and fictive kin caregivers. >Children in kinship and fictive kin families are more likely to be poor than children in other families >Nearly 50% of children who live with a grandmother only and have no parents in the home live in poverty >~20% of all grandparent householders responsible for their grandchildren are living in poverty >Most kinship and fictive kin caregivers are age 60 and under and still in the workforce >Grandparent caregivers are more likely than parents to have a disability >Nearly 25% of grandparents responsible for their grandchildren have a disability >Over 61% of grandparents responsible for their grandchildren have raised them for at least three years >Over 45% have raised their grandchildren for five or more years Here are ideas on how to support these caregivers: https://lnkd.in/erDbdqjQ
At Alia, our mission is to equip and transform systems to create conditions for children and families to thrive. This article by Gary Ivory in Forbes highlights the concerning statistics surrounding child placement in the US foster care system, and the importance of kinship care as a less disruptive alternative. Kinship care (placing children with relatives or trusted family friends) can significantly reduce the trauma associated with removal. It's great to see likeminded changemakers like Gary advocating for this approach! We celebrate any time we see work being done to keep children safe with their families of origin as the top goal and exploring kinship care options as the first alternative when necessary. The best path forward is not reforming systems but instead, building UnSystems that put children and families first! #childwelfare #kinshipcare #fostercare #familiestogether
Council Post: How We Can Prevent Children From Entering The Traditional Foster Care System
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Business & Performance Consultant | Culture & Change Leadership Expert | Executive Coach | Master Facilitator | International Speaker
As we observe the evolving landscape of kinship care in the United States, I am proud to share how the Maryland Department of Human Services is at the forefront of this crucial reform. Recent changes across various states, including Michigan's pioneering new licensing requirements for kin caregivers, reflect a national shift towards removing barriers that previously prevented family members from providing care. This follows a welcome federal rule change by the Biden administration. In Maryland, we've been proactive in adapting our policies to better support kinship care. We have successfully scaled back certain training and background check requirements, recognizing that while safety and preparedness are paramount, flexibility is essential. These changes help ensure that children can stay within their families without unnecessary delays or hindrances, which is often in their best interest. Our approach considers the complexities of each family situation, aiming to balance rigorous safety standards with the profound need for children to remain with family whenever possible. This is just one of the reasons why I love working at the Maryland Department of Human Services—our commitment to meaningful reform and our dedication to the well-being of every child and family we serve. Let’s continue to advocate for systems that recognize the unique needs of kinship caregivers and the children in their care. #KinshipCare #FamilyFirst #ChildWelfareReform #MDHumanServices https://lnkd.in/enbFQcfg
States increasingly shift toward kin-first foster care - Maryland Matters
https://marylandmatters.org
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The votes are in and we have a new Government. The new Government needs to step up for kinship families. We look forward to working with @UKLabour as they form the next UK Government following the General Election. Kinship families have reached breaking point like never before with the rising cost of living and following years of being denied the support given to foster and adoptive families. The next Labour Government has an enormous opportunity to change the future of thousands of children in kinship care, who have had a tough start in life, so they are better supported to achieve and thrive. In its manifesto, @UKLabour and @Keir_Starmer said that “every child should have a loving, secure home” and committed to supporting children “including through kinship, foster care, and adoption”. We want to see the Government follow the three-step plan outlined in our #ValueOurLove campaign manifesto to maintain the momentum, deliver urgent support, and build a new kinship care system. Through the efforts of thousands of kinship carer campaigners, there’s more recognition and support for kinship care than ever before. Together, they helped to push for the first ever National Kinship Care Strategy for England in December 2023. But limited progress was made before the Election was called. This new Government must go further and faster so that kinship families see real change – and quickly. @UKLabour must ensure there are no further delays with plans to boost financial support and strengthen local authority guidance. We’ll not rest until all kinship families get the financial, practical and emotional support they need and deserve. We will continue to campaign alongside them to hold the new Government to account for delivering on its manifesto commitment to kinship families.
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